Article Check
#1 in Business Subscribe Email Print

You are here: Home > Business > Business > Grassroots Leadership Principles – a Review of It's Your Ship

Tags

  • senior
  • enthusiasm
  • memorable experience
  • holidays spent
  • prestigious spokane

  • Links

  • Precautions For Software Outsourcing
  • Adding a Spark to Gasoline - Sharing Your Newsletter Subscriber List
  • Autographing Books for Sales Clout
  • Article Check - Grassroots Leadership Principles – a Review of It's Your Ship

    7 Great Business Books You Must Read
    If you are serious about business, we really recommend you read this books. They would inspire you, they would make you learn, and they would make you more closer to creating the company of your dreams. We have selected the books carefully. So, let's start.1) Book: Made In America by Sam WaltonIf you know Walmart, you should know Sam Walton. Mr. Walton is the best example of the American dream. He started small, with little money, but a great desire to make a great company. This book is his biography as well he gives us advice on business.2) Book: Built To Last by Jim Collins, Jerry I. PorrasGreat companies are the ones you must learn of. In this book, the authors researched America's greatest companies and their habits to success. Companies like 3M, Motorola, Nordstrom, Marriott, just to name a few. It really is a great book and you'll learn this successful habits as well and apply it to y
    erhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to be

    Fuel Costs Skyrocket Does This Hurt Companies Who Pass On the Costs Also?
    When fuel costs go up so do shipping rates at UPS, FedEx, Railroads, Buses and even Airlines with ticket price increases and surcharges too. For us to adequately discuss this issue we must also understand the Flow of Fuel.We must also come to terms with the priority of fuel and its costs in the flows of our civilization as it is one of the most important flows, next too common currency, communication, food distribution, water, law and education. But without fuel flows and stability, we will cause issues with all the others too that is to say they are all interconnected you see?Without fuel buses cannot run for schools for instance, see the problem. There are solutions to all this, but it changes the over all dynamics, so when studying linear questions of this nature, we cannot assume an either or answer. Without people traveling on airlines, less business is conducted and the flow of trade and communicat
    At the age of 36, Michael Abrashoff was selected to become Commander of the USS Benfold – at the time, the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The immediate challenges that faced him were staggering: Exceptionally low morale with unacceptably high turnover. Few thought that this ship could improve. In many ways, the Benfold was actually an extreme example of the same problems facing many organizations today.

    As the new head of his own command Michael only became more resolved. “In my induction ceremony, my predecessor left to cheers. The crew was actually clapping as he and his family departed. I knew then that command and control leadership was dead.”

    “A lot of people do whatever it takes to secure the next promotion. All I ever wanted to do in the navy was to command a ship. I did not care if I ever got promoted again. And that attitude enabled me to do the right things for my people instead of doing the right things for my career. Along the way, it was my people that created the results that ensured my next promotion.”

    The solution was to establish a system of beliefs that Michael calls GrassRoots Leadership – a process of replacing command and control with commitment and cohesion by engaging the hearts, minds, and loyalties of workers.

    In his book, It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from The Best Damn Ship in the Navy, Michael states that, “The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew.”

    To Michael, this meant interviewing every single person on his ship, from the most senior officer to the newest recruit -- an experience that began to generate the most invaluable ideas, often from the most unexpected sources. For example, through one of these meetings Michael was able to address one of the most demoralizing roles of the crew: relentless chipping and painting had always been a standard task for a ship’s youngest sailors, the individuals that Michael most wanted to connect with. One of these sailors simply suggested replacing the rusting hardware with stainless-steel nuts and bolts.

    “I took our credit card and bought the stainless steel hardware that day,” Michael commented. “Those guys didn’t pick up a paintbrush the rest of the time I was on board.” Today, the entire navy uses that process – a solution that began from GrassRoots efforts.

    GrassRoots Leadership is a philosophy that empowers every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence. GrassRoots Leadership has as its core tenets:

    • Lead by Example – GrassRoots Leaders know they must first change their own attitudes and behaviors before expecting their crew to change.

    • Listen Aggressively – GrassRoots Leaders don't simply listen, they hear what their people are telling them. They know that those on the front lines are the most familiar with how operations can be more effective.

    • Communicate Purpose and Meaning – GrassRoots Leaders help their crew understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.

    • Create a Climate of Trust – GrassRoots Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their crew. Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.

    • Look for Results, Not Salutes – GrassRoots Leaders maximize performance by making their people grow. They succeed only where their people succeed.

    • Take Calculated Risks – GrassRoots Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks is instrumental in maximizing performance.

    • Go Beyond Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – GrassRoots Leaders look at standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP doesn't change as rapidly as the environment and competition. Therefore, they foster a climate that encourages people to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish their mission.

    • Strengthen Others/Build Up Your People – GrassRoots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.

    • Generate Unity – GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.

    • Cultivate Quality of Life – GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

    By every measure, these principles were able to achieve breakthrough results. Personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%. The rate of military promotions tripled, and operating expenses were slashed by 25%. USS Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

    His first book, It’s Your Ship, has sold over hundreds of thousands of copies and is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller. While receiving accolades from such business-minded entities as Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and others, perhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to bec

    An Introduction To Workholding Components
    Workholding components are usually accuracy made production tooling used to securely and precisely place and hold work pieces in a production line course. Workholding components normally comprises of alignment pins, finders, clamps, jaws, bushings, modular fixtures, and as well of some other vises. A worktable vise has flat; a like jaws and is close to a workbench.A machine vise clamps the workpiece in a quite safe manner. Work holders comprise physical and power chucks, end mill holders, soft and hard jaws and pallet fixtures, arbors, adaptors, and other manage bars, reduction sleeves, growing mandrels, dead centers, stand plates, and adapter plates. A round washer is a two-piece washer is been further used when a stud and also with clamping outside are not precisely perpendicular. The finest piece has a convex round shape that correctly fit into the bottom piece. A C-washer has an opening in one side so that
    from The Best Damn Ship in the Navy, Michael states that, “The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew.”

    To Michael, this meant interviewing every single person on his ship, from the most senior officer to the newest recruit -- an experience that began to generate the most invaluable ideas, often from the most unexpected sources. For example, through one of these meetings Michael was able to address one of the most demoralizing roles of the crew: relentless chipping and painting had always been a standard task for a ship’s youngest sailors, the individuals that Michael most wanted to connect with. One of these sailors simply suggested replacing the rusting hardware with stainless-steel nuts and bolts.

    “I took our credit card and bought the stainless steel hardware that day,” Michael commented. “Those guys didn’t pick up a paintbrush the rest of the time I was on board.” Today, the entire navy uses that process – a solution that began from GrassRoots efforts.

    GrassRoots Leadership is a philosophy that empowers every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence. GrassRoots Leadership has as its core tenets:

    • Lead by Example – GrassRoots Leaders know they must first change their own attitudes and behaviors before expecting their crew to change.

    • Listen Aggressively – GrassRoots Leaders don't simply listen, they hear what their people are telling them. They know that those on the front lines are the most familiar with how operations can be more effective.

    • Communicate Purpose and Meaning – GrassRoots Leaders help their crew understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.

    • Create a Climate of Trust – GrassRoots Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their crew. Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.

    • Look for Results, Not Salutes – GrassRoots Leaders maximize performance by making their people grow. They succeed only where their people succeed.

    • Take Calculated Risks – GrassRoots Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks is instrumental in maximizing performance.

    • Go Beyond Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – GrassRoots Leaders look at standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP doesn't change as rapidly as the environment and competition. Therefore, they foster a climate that encourages people to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish their mission.

    • Strengthen Others/Build Up Your People – GrassRoots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.

    • Generate Unity – GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.

    • Cultivate Quality of Life – GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

    By every measure, these principles were able to achieve breakthrough results. Personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%. The rate of military promotions tripled, and operating expenses were slashed by 25%. USS Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

    His first book, It’s Your Ship, has sold over hundreds of thousands of copies and is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller. While receiving accolades from such business-minded entities as Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and others, perhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to be

    RFID Technology Simplifies Distribution
    Toronto, ON, Nov, 2006 - There are many applications for how RFID systems help manufacturers and warehouse operations; these applications can be as unique as the enterprise they help. However, there are some common areas in these industries related to their logistics of getting the finished product to the customer or to another distribution center. Bottlenecking of the goods at the shipping door has implications on the costs to ship goods, lowers revenues when there are fewer shipped goods to bill and puts a drag on productivity gains you have made in other areas of the enterprise.As product moves onto pallets, cases, boxes or whatever the means of preparing it for shipment, an RFID tag is read that is attached to the pallet, as an example. With the appropriate applications software, then all relevant data is transposed onto the tag, the inventory of product, which customer it is for, delivery information, the
    >

    • Listen Aggressively – GrassRoots Leaders don't simply listen, they hear what their people are telling them. They know that those on the front lines are the most familiar with how operations can be more effective.

    • Communicate Purpose and Meaning – GrassRoots Leaders help their crew understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.

    • Create a Climate of Trust – GrassRoots Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their crew. Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.

    • Look for Results, Not Salutes – GrassRoots Leaders maximize performance by making their people grow. They succeed only where their people succeed.

    • Take Calculated Risks – GrassRoots Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks is instrumental in maximizing performance.

    • Go Beyond Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – GrassRoots Leaders look at standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP doesn't change as rapidly as the environment and competition. Therefore, they foster a climate that encourages people to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish their mission.

    • Strengthen Others/Build Up Your People – GrassRoots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.

    • Generate Unity – GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.

    • Cultivate Quality of Life – GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

    By every measure, these principles were able to achieve breakthrough results. Personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%. The rate of military promotions tripled, and operating expenses were slashed by 25%. USS Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

    His first book, It’s Your Ship, has sold over hundreds of thousands of copies and is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller. While receiving accolades from such business-minded entities as Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and others, perhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to be

    Intergenerational Dynamics in Your Workforce - Challenge or Opportunity?
    Think age diversity doesn’t affect your workplace? Before you respond, read the following situations and highlight those that you’ve observed in your organization:·Baby Boomers who insist on calling meetings for everything. ·Gen X’ers who appear to only be in it for themselves. ·Younger workers who assume that if you don’t have an I-pod you are computer illiterate. ·Seasoned employees who keep reminding everyone the way things used to be. ·Younger managers struggling to gain the respect of older workers who are subordinates.If you checked off more than one box then your organization is among the many facing intergenerational workplace issues. Some companies actually believe these issues will go away on their own. They operate under the premise that older workers will retire and the younger people will mature in time to take the leadership roles vacated by this generation. Problem so
    Roots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.

    • Generate Unity – GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.

    • Cultivate Quality of Life – GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

    By every measure, these principles were able to achieve breakthrough results. Personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%. The rate of military promotions tripled, and operating expenses were slashed by 25%. USS Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

    His first book, It’s Your Ship, has sold over hundreds of thousands of copies and is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller. While receiving accolades from such business-minded entities as Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and others, perhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to be

    Working Smarter Not Harder
    Growing up we where all told in order to make it in life that you must go out there and work hard for everything you want in life. The harder you work the more you will succeed. Is this really that true though anymore? Now a day people seem to work harder then ever before, and still come up empty handed.So is working harder really getting us to where we want to be at in life? More then likely the only place its getting you is laying on our bed with a bad back or a huge headache. The new age is upon us, and now people are looking for ways to work smarter and not harder.There are a number of different ways one can go out and take full control of his or her finical freedom simply by working smarter, and throwing the rule book out the window. The first step to any success story is you need to go out and take a chance. One of the biggest reasons why people dont take these life-changing chances are because the
    erhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

    Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY December 11, 2003

    I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff's leadership. His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of. Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

    What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt. Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments. Capt. Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government. He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

    I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to become a successful professional in the "civilian" world. To the readers who feel Capt. Abrashoff is "arrogant" in his leadership style--I think if you had as awesome a ship as the Benfold to be a part of, you would be extremely proud of it and the leadership that made it such a fine place to spend a few years of your life.

    *a plankowner is a member of the crew of a ship when it's first commissioned

    Michael Abrashoff is originally from Altoona, Pennsylvania and is a 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis. He currently resides in Arlington, Virginia and has recently published his second book, Get Your Ship Together.

    HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
    <a href="http://www.caseupon.com/article/3563/caseupon-Grassroots-Leadership-Principles--a-Review-of-Its-Your-Ship.html">Grassroots Leadership Principles – a Review of It's Your Ship</a>

    BB link (for phorums):
    [url=http://www.caseupon.com/article/3563/caseupon-Grassroots-Leadership-Principles--a-Review-of-Its-Your-Ship.html]Grassroots Leadership Principles – a Review of It's Your Ship[/url]

    Related Articles:

    Escape Planning - Using Fire Exits To Get Out Safely

    Effective Marketing is About Loving Your Customers

    Ten Steps To Manage Your Time And Get Things Done

    Bookmark it: del.icio.us digg.com reddit.com netvouz.com google.com yahoo.com technorati.com furl.net bloglines.com socialdust.com ma.gnolia.com newsvine.com slashdot.org simpy.com shadows.com blinklist.com